Method of constructing a ship{40 s hull

ABSTRACT

A novel method of constructing a ship&#39;&#39;s hull whereby successive spaced decks having individual deck edge contours defining an overall hull configuration are placed in successive order above girder frames which are attached to a keel plate before an outer hull skin is attached to the deck outer edges to complete the hull. Stanchions are utilized which extend through suitable holes in a plurality of such decks to maintain alignment of center line, offsets, and overlays, and columns are used between the decks for support along with fore and aft I-beams.

United States Patent Gunn [ 51 Aug. 1, 1972 [54] METHOD OF CONSTRUCTINGA SHIPS HULL [.72] Inventor: Herbert H. Gunn, 2334 W. 241st St., Space48, Lomita, Calif. 90717 [22] Filed: Jan. 29, 1971 [21] Appl.No.:110,825

52 us. 01. ..114/65 R [51] me or. ..B65b 3/08 58 Field of Search.....l14/65 R, 77 R, 77 A, 79, 82, 114/65; 9/6

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,844,483 2/1932 Sharp..114/79 R 3,439,366 4/1969 Matthews ..9/6

Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Assistant Examiner-Hadd S. LaneAttorney-Sokolski & Wohlgemuth and John Holtriter, Jr. 3

[5 7] ABSTRACT A novel method of constructing a ships hull wherebysuccessive spaced decks having individual deck edge contours defining anoverall hull configuration are placed in successive order above girderframes which are attached to a keel plate before an outer hull skin isattached to the deck outer edges to complete the hull. Stanchions areutilized which extend through suitable holes in a plurality of suchdecks to maintain alignment of center line, offsets, and overlays, andcolumns are used between the decks for support along with fore and aftI-beams.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PMENTEDAuB' 1 1 SHEET 1 OF 2 Herbrr H. Gunn,

INVENTOR.

BY. M

ATTORNEY.

, Fig. 4.

Q N t. g

O N L1.

N m N 0 LL 3 Herbert H. Gunn,

INVENTOR ATTORN EY.

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING A SHIP 'S HULL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thebackground of the invention will be set forth in two parts.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally pertains tothe field of ship construction and more particularly to an improved andnovel method of constructing a ships hull.

2. Description of the Prior Art The art of hull construction for shipshas been well established over a long period of time. The methodsutilized generally were determined by the material to be used in theconstruction. For example, in wood ships, a skeleton frame was firstbuilt and the hull planks attached thereafter. Decks were then built oneafter the other within the hull. In more recent times, especially insteel ships, the hull exterior plate or skin was attached to outer framemembers prior to the fabricating of decks within the frame structure.Stillmore recently, complete sections of a ship were constructed priorto assembly of these sections to form a complete ship structure. In allof these prior art ship construction methods, there was present thesignificant disadvantage of requiring a lengthy assembly time and, inthe case of the sectional type construction, a very complicated,time-consuming and expensive procedure in matching the sectionstogether. In all these methods, the ships outer hull skin was completedbefore deck construction was started or completed, which severelylimited access to the interior of the structure. Also, thetransportation and positioning of large and heavy sectional structurespresents a very serious problem for a shipbuilder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing factors and conditionscharacteristic of the prior art, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide a new and improved method of constructing a shipshull wherein all the decks are positioned prior to attaching the outerhull plates thereto.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method ofconstructing a ships hull which allows easy access to all decks prior toenclosing this area by attaching the ships outer plating.

It is also another object of the present invention to provide arelatively inexpensive method for the construction of a ships hull whichis readily adaptable to either passenger or transport configuration.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a methodof constructing a ships hull wherein the decks are prefabricated andaligned prior to assembly, for accurate alignment and ease of assembly.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a methodfor constructing a ships hull wherein torsional stresses are minimizedin a seaway with a minimum of slip joints or limbers.

According to the present invention, a method of constructing a shipshull is provided which includes the steps of laying a keel plateassembly, successively thereafter setting decks and deck spacing membersto form a plurality of spaced decks each resting on a spacing memberprojecting above a lower deck, the decks having peripheral contoursdefining a desired hull configuration, and lastly the step of attachingshell plating to the outer edges of the deck to complete the hull.

It is contemplated in the invention that successive decks may be easilyaligned by the use of vertical stanchions attached to the keel plate,which pass through appropriately positioned holes in each deck.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood bymaking reference to the following description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which like referenced characters refer tolike elements in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view of a cargo shipstructure, partially broken away, constructed in accordance with themethod of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram generally laid out as a plan view of aship structure showing the contours of the various stacked decks whichdefine the shape of the hull and the contours of the keel girders, inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section of a ship constructed in accordance withthe method of the present invention, the I-beams not being shown;

FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of a deck, a deck spacing member or column,and a deck-aligning stanchion passing through the deck; and

FIG. 5 is a view of a passenger ship constructed by the method used forthe ship shown in FIG. 1.

Referring again to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and3, there is shown a ship construction 11 wherein a keel plate assembly12 is laid first and upon which successive ones of deck spacing members13 and decks 15 are positioned to form a plurality of spaced decks 15each resting on a spacing member 13 projecting above a next lower deck.At the forward and aft ends of the assembly 12 are attached aconventional stem piece and stern post assembly, not separatelyillustrated for the sake of clarity.

It will-be noted from FIG. 3 that the decks 15 are all horizontallypositioned and that the spacing members or columns 13 only extendbetween decks, while rodlike stanchions 17 pass through holes 19 in thedecks 15. The vertically disposed stanchions extend through all thedecks to provide a guide to maintain proper alignment and, when weldedto the stanchion 17 at the holes 19, will, with the columns 13, bind thevarious structures to form a complete unit. The stanchions l7 may, ifdesired, be supported by tubular sleeves 23, for example, or by diagonalbraces or connecting I-beams under each deck (not shown).

The stanchions 17 are anchored or bolted to an upper or inner surface 25of a keel plate 26 of the assembly 12 by welded stanchion stands 27 atpositions generally near each side of the hull and along a longitudinalcenter line 29 of the ship, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. It is to bepointed out that the stands 27 are disposed between selectedtransversely positioned keel girders 31. The girders 31 are alsoillustrated schematically in FIG. 2 to indicate their respective endcontours 32 which dictates the shape of a keel plate assembly 12. In atrue plan view, these members would be represented by straight parallellines in FIG. 2. Girder bracing members 33, triangular in form, whichare welded at spaced positions along the length of each girder on eitherits forward or aft side, and to the inner surface 25 of the keel plate26, would appear as short transverse lines extending either fore or aft,depending upon their respective location in either the forward or aftportion of the ship (see FIG. 1). The girders are provided with openings31A to provide a uniform liquid flow, reduce weight, and for ease ofaccess within a tank, for example.

The columns 13 are the main vertical supports for the decks 15. Thesecolumns are located directly above selected girders 31 to transmit deadweight from each deck to the keel plate assembly, and should be furthersupported by I-beams located under each deck in both transverse andlongitudinal directions, but not shown for clarity.

It can be seen from FIG. 2 that each deck 15 has a somewhat differentouter edge contour (34a-34f) and width and length dimensions so that byattaching hull plates 35 to these edges 34, a desired hull configurationis provided.

Once completed, the hull structure produced by following the steps ofthe invention looks similar to hull structures fabricated by the use ofconventional methods. However, the invention provides the distinctadvantage of saving as much as one-half the time normally required toconstruct a ships hull.

In following the inventive method, the basic feature is that ofsuccessively constructing deck spacing members and decks over apreviously laid keel structure before the hulls outer shell or platesare attached to the outer edges 34 of the decks 15.

To take full advantage of this unique procedure, the material for thedecks, the keel and spacing members are all laid out in advance ofassembly, and all necessary holes are drilled. Thus, each deck 15 isfabricated with its proper outer edge contour and laid out one on top ofthe other in the proper order of sequence of assembly before drillingholes 19 (FIG. 4) in the proper places through all the decks at the sametime to make the center line 29 of all the decks lay in tandem andcentered one above the other.

Construction begins by first laying the keel assembly 12, that is, bysetting out a keel plate 26, whereupon the girders 31 are positioned andwelded. The peripheral area 36 of the keel plate 26 is then bentupwardly by any conventional keel plate forming process or technique,such as a rolling arrangement, and then welded to the edges 32 of thegirders 31. Pipe lines, not shown, may then be laid through the girders31 for loading and the transferring of fuel. Water lines should not passthrough spaces and compartments used to store fuel.

Columns, bulkheads and the like may then be secured to the deck 15 inmarked off position before the next higher deck, with its holes 19 linedup over the stanchions 17, is lowered to rest on the columns 13. Thestanchions, columns and bulkheads, etc., may then be welded to the lowersurface 37 of this newly positioned deck.

This procedure is continued until all decks have been properlypositioned, making plumb checks on the center line 29 at each deck 15.If desired, hull ribs 41 may then be welded to the inner edges 34 of thedeck 15 prior to the welding or otherwise attaching the whole shellplating 35. However, the ribs should never extend beyond this edge. Agreat advantage of securing the ribs 41 after the decks are secured isthat the natural resting positions of the decks have a tendency tominimize the torsional stresses in a seaway.

A vessel, such as illustrated in FIG. 1, which is constructed by themethod described herein may be converted from a van carrier to a tankerby only requiring the installation of additional bulkheads and pipelineswith holes cut in decks to facilitate the flow and equalization of thecargo level. The structure may also be converted to a passenger-vancarrier 60, as shown in FIG. 6, by the construction of cabinsuperstructure 61.

Although only a few embodiments of the invention have been described indetail, it should be clear that it is susceptible to numerousmodifications and embodiments within the skill of those working in theart. Accordingly, any size vessel can be efficiently and economicallyconstructed by the method herein described and it should be understoodthat the illustrations provided are not to any scale and the dimensionsof any particular portion of the structure need not have any dimensionalrelevance to the dimension of any other portion of the structure. Itshould therefore be evident that vessels from the size of an aircraftcarrier down to that of a pleasure yacht, and even that of a toy, maybenefit from the present invention.

What is claimed is: 1. A method of constructing a ships hull, comprisingthe steps of:

laying a keel plate assembly; successively thereafter setting decks anddeck spacing members in spaced relation to said keel assembly to form aplurality of spaced decks each resting on spacing members projectingabove a next lower deck, said decks being each continuous andprefabricated and having peripheral contours define defining a desiredhull configuration; and

attaching shell plating to the outer edges of said decks and to saidkeel assembly to complete said hull.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said keel plate assembly isfabricated by positioning on and attaching to an upper surface of a keelplate a plurality of spaced girders each lying perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis center line of said ships hull before rounding theperipheral area of said keel plate about the contoured edgeconfiguration of said girders.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the succession of deckspacing members and decks commences with a first deck laid above the topof said keel plate and resting on the edges of said girders.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said deck spacing membersare tubular columns extending between decks and positioned directlyabove selected girders.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of rod-likestanchion members are attached to said keel plate and extend verticallythereabove, said decks including apertures aligned with said stanchionmembers and positioned over a preceding deck, whereby by lowering eachof said decks so that said stanchions pass through said apertures, thecenter line, offsets and overlays are positioned correctly.

keel plate assembly.

7. The method according to claim 1, including the step of welding ribmembers to the inner edges of said decks prior to the step of attachingsaid shell plating thereto.

1. A method of constructing a ship''s hull, comprising the steps of:laying a keel plate assembly; successively thereafter setting decks anddeck spacing members in spaced relation to said keel assembly to form aplurality of spaced decks each resting on spacing members projectingabove a next lower deck, said decks being each continuous andprefabricated and having peripheral contours define defining a desiredhull configuration; and attaching shell plating to the outer edges ofsaid decks and to said keel assembly to complete said hull.
 2. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein said keel plate assembly isfabricated by positioning on and attaching to an upper surface of a keelplate a plurality of spaced girders each lying perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis center line of said ship''s hull before rounding theperipheral area of said keel plate about the contoured edgeconfiguration of said girders.
 3. The method according to claim 2,wherein the succession of deck spacing members and decks commences witha first deck laid above the top of said keel plate and resting on theedges of said girders.
 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein saiddeck spacing members are tubular columns extending between decks andpositioned directly above selected girders.
 5. The method according toclaim 2, wherein a plurality of rod-like stanchion members are attachedto said keel plate and extend vertically thereabove, said decksincluding apertures aligned with said stanchion members and positionedover a preceding deck, whereby by lowering each of said decks so thatsaid stanchions pass through said apertures, the center line, offsetsand overlays are positioned correctly.
 6. The method according to claim1, including the step of laying out the decks in proper sequence ofassembly, one on the other, and forming holes in proper places throughall said plates at the same time to make the center line of all deckslay in tandem and centered one above the other, all prior to the step oflaying said keel plate assembly.
 7. The method according to claim 1,including the step of welding rib members to the inner edges of saiddecks prior to the step of attaching said shell plating thereto.